About the NIC

The National Ice Centre complex is the UK’s first twin ice pad facility comprising of two Olympic size ice rinks, one of which transforms into the Capital FM Arena, the biggest entertainment venue in the East Midlands.

The National Ice Centre (NIC) is home to Ice Locker, the UK’s biggest ice sports store, the GB Short Track Speed Skating Squad and the oldest and one of the most successful ice hockey teams in the country, the GMB Nottingham Panthers.

Top class facilities and coaching staff for a whole range of ice sports are provided at the NIC, from Synchronized Skating to Ice Hockey and Short Track Speed Skating to Figure skating. The Centre also runs a successful skating academy and is used as a training base by the majority of Great Britain’s bright young skaters.

Nottingham has a long tradition of ice skating stretching back many years. It started way back in 1895 with skating on the frozen River Trent to over 60 years of skating in the old Ice Stadium. The 80’s really saw the glory days for British skating with Nottingham’s most famous couple Jane Torvill and Christopher Dean dominating the World and Olympic Championships.

The famous pair officially opened the National Ice Centre in April 2000 and the venue was given the royal seal of approval during a visit by HM the Queen on July 31 2002.